Water-tank.



'PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

G. T. HORTON. WATER TANK. n' PLIoATmN rum) 1mm. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- PATENTBD JUNE 25, 190

G. T. HORTON. WATER TANK.- APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1905.

MEETS-SHEET 2.

. at the same elevation and'the elevation of more desirable.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

WATER-TANK.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed March 6,1905. Serial No. 248,691.-

To wZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. HORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Im rove- 'ments in Water-Tanks, of which the oll0wing is a full, clear, concise, tion, reference being had in'g drawings, forming a cation.

My invention relates to improvements in water tanks, and more particularly to that class of tanks for supplying water to railway engines. v

Practically all the steel tanks which'have been built heretofore have been of two types, those having the flat bottom, and those having hemispherical bottoms. When a hemispherical bottom tank and a flat bottom tank of economical dimensionsand the same capacity are compared it will be seen that the total depth of the hemispherical bottom tank is considerably greater .than that ofthe flat bottom tank. Therefore when, as in railway service, the bottom of the two tanks must be the top of the tank is desired to be as low as 1practicable, in order to reduce the average ead against which the Water must be pumped, the flat bott" tank will be the To oii-set this, however, the hemispherical bottom tank has the advantage of requiring no floor system of heavy and exact descripto the accompanypart of this specifibeams to support the weight of the water,

also any sediment will seek the lowest level and will therefore be confined to a minimum s ace and further when necessary to remove t 's'sediment it can be drawn out by the opening of a. valve in the bottom without emptying the entire tank. Thetotal height of the hemi-ellipsoid bottom tank as compared with a flat bottom tank of the same capacity is-so nearly equal that there is no particu ar difi'erence and all the advantages of the hemispherical bottom tank just mentioned are retained.

In my present invention, by constructing the bottom of the tank in the form of a herni-v ellipsoid and supporting the center of the bottom bymeans of the inlet pipe, I am enabled to combine the advantages of fiat bottom and hemispherical tanks as above mentioned.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a tank of this character with'an inlet pipe, which will not freeze in extremely cold supporting legs.

weather, and thereby avoid the necessityof building a frost-proof casing around the inlet pipe. A still further object of my invention is to so construct the inlet pipe that the Same acts as a settling basin and when dirty water is encountered the sediment may be allowed to settle in the bottom of said inlet pipe and be drawn off therefrom without emptying the \ank. I

l have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my tank; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional pipe, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, he tank 1 is preferably constructed of sheet metal and is cylindrical in form. A hemi-ellipsoid bottcm 2 is provided which is also formed of sheet metal and is connected to the tank in any suitable manner. In forming the bottom it Willbe noted that the depth thereof is considerably less than the diameter. A top 3 in also provided, which is substantially cone-shaped, and is formed of sheet metal plates as is the rest of thetank. Supporting legs 5,comprising channel bars 6 and 7, having suitable lacings 8 connecting the same together, are provided and these supporting legs are preferably attached to. the sides of the tank 1, by means of connecting angles 9, which are riveted to the sides of the tank in any suitable manner, and are riveted also to the channel bars 6 and 7. Suitable braces 10 are fastened at their upper ends to plates 1.1, secured to the supporting logs, and atv their lower ends to plates 12, secured to the lowcrends of the The lower ends of the su porting legs rest upon stone'or cementbloc {S 14 and have secured thereto angle pieces 13, which distribute the'weight upon the blocks. In this manner a strong and rigid support is provided for the tank, which will sustain the weight of the same after it is filled W1 th water. A. lar e central inlet pipe 15 extends be tween t e central portion of the bottom to a suitable base or support 16. This pipe is varied in diameter according to the climate of the vicinity in which the structure is located, but is at all times made ofsuch size that the water contained therein will not entirely freeze up. By. making this pipe lapge in diametcr,-;While a portion of he waview' of the inlet- IIO ter contained therein may freeae, there is always a center opening left which permits the water to be fed to the tank. The lower portion of this pipe is Constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 3. A bottom 17 is adapted to rest upon the base-16 and is connected with the sides of the pipe by means of the angle-piece 18, which forms a water tight joint between the two sections. An openmg is formed. centrally of the bottom, through which is adapted to pass the supply pipe 19. This pipe preferably extends downwardly through the cement base 17 and is provided with an elbow 20, whereby the same is connected with a supply pipe 21, a suitable T- joint 22 being formed in said pipe for the purpose of connecting the same with the water main or other water supply. It will be noted that this pipe is of suflicient length to extend partially up into the inlet pipe 15. A second opening is formed in the bottom of the inlet pipe, which communicates with a blow-oil pipe 23, a suitable valve Ztbcing seated in the opening in the inlet pipe which normally 'maintains the blow-oil pipe closed.

At the upper end of the inlet pipe and near the bottom of the tank, is provided a discharge pipe 25, which enters through an opening in the inlet pipe and extends to the center of said pipe, shown. A valve 25 serves to normally maintain this pipe in a closed position, except when it is desired to supply water to an engine. The pipe 25 communicates with a suitable water spout 26, by which water is supplied to the engine.

-This water spout is ')relerably pivoted to one of the legs of the tank and projects beyond the same over the tracks, in order that an engine running on the tracks may run beneath the spent and receive water there from. Normally the spout is maintained in a substantially upright position, a suitable chain 27 being connected to the outer end thereof and adapted to pass over pulleys 28, secured to the water tank, being connected at its opposite end to a weight 29, whereby the spoutis held in an upright position. l/Vhen it is desired to feed water to the'engine, this spout may be lowered until the same is in a position to deliver water to the opening in the engine tank.

The valve 25 is normally closed and I have provided suitable means for opening. the same when it is desired to supply water to the engine. The valve 25 is connected at its upper end to a lever 30, one end of which is pivoted upon a suitable support 31 and the. I other-end of which is connected by a chain 32 passing through the tank and connected by the li 33, with one end of a bell crank lever 34, ivoted in the top 3. The other end of the bell crank lever is connected by a chain or cable 35, with a second bell crank lever 36, pivoted upon the outside of the tank.-

, One end of the bell crank lever 36v has depending therefrom a pull chain or cable 37, which extends down within convenient reach of a person standing upon the tender of an engine. When the engine is in position to receive wa ter from the discharge spout 26, the engineer or attendant, by pulling upon the cable 37, will open the valve 25 and permit the water to rush through the discharge pipe 25 and spent 26 into the water tank of the engine.

irom a The blow-olt' valve 24- is operated lever pivoted in the roof of the tank. A suitable lever 38 extends through a slotted projection 39, connected with the blow-oil valve and has one end pivoted as at 40. The opposite end of this lever is connected by means of a chain or cable ll, with a lever- 42, pivoted at 43, within the top 3. This lever is operated to open the blowo'fli valve when desired, and access may be obtained to the lever by any suitable means, as through a door in the top of the roof.

In event it is desirable to use a crane connection with the tank and have the tank situated some distance from the track, the supply pipe 21 may be provided with an eX- tension 44, which leads to the crane spout, the supply pipe being then used as a discharge pipe, as well as for supplying water to the tank. By having the supply pipe ex,- tending up some distance into the inlet pipe,

it will be noted that when the water is drawn oii, sediment which may settle in the bottom oi: the inlet pipe will not be drawn ed with the same.

By the arrangement of the blow-off pipe 23, and valve 24, in the bottom of the inlet pipe 15, it will be seen that all mud and other sediment in the water will settle in the bottoni of the inlet pipe and by opening the valve 24, this mud may be readily blown out by the force of the water rushing through the valve, whereby it becomes unnecessary to empty the entire tank to remove the sediment as is the case where the sediment is allowed to settle in the bottom of the tank, instead of in the bottom of the inlet pipe. Furthermore, by constructing the inlet pipe large in diameter the same ailords an ample support for the bottom, other supporting means beingunnecessary, and at the same time the large diameter of the pipe prevents freezing thereof in extremely cold weather, avoiding the necessity of building a frostproof pipe around the casing as isfrequently the practice.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a water tank, having a hemi-ellipsoid bottom, of an inlet pipe for said tank, said inlet pipe also serving as a support for the bottom of the tank.

2. T he combination with a water tank, having a substantially hcmi-ellipsoidal bottom, of suitable supports for said tank, and

- having asubstantially hemi-ellipsoidal bottom, of an inlet tom, of an inlet pipe therefor, sald pipe servan inlet pipe entering the bottom of said tank also serving as a support for serving as a support for the valve from the top of said tank.

10. The-combination with a tank having and alslp serviigg as a support for the same. I a substantially hemi-ellipspidal bottom, of

3. T e com ination with a water tank an inlet pipe for said tan said having a substantially hemi-ellipsoidal bot-" serving as a support for said bottom, a distom, of an inlet pipe for said tank, said pipe charge pipe ente'ringsaid inlet pipe at a point serving as an add1t1onal support for the bot- I near the top thereof, a valve for maintaining torp Offqtllb tanlamtl as a settfiling batsin. b k I said difscharge tpipe I lglm?llYfiClOSi%, antd 1e com ma 1on W1! a wa er an means or opera ingsai va ve om e on having a substantially he1ni-ellipsoidal boti side of said tank. tom, of an inlet pipe for said tank, said pipe 11. The combination with a water tank, the bottomof I of an inlet pipefor said tank, said pipe servithe tank, and a supply pipe entering said 1n- I uglas an 1:,ddldt1OIl3l supportbforthe bottom et pipe. 0 tie tan an as asett ing asin.

5. The combination with awater tank, 12. The combination having a substantially hem'i-ellipsoidal bot- I of an inlet pipe for said tank, said )ipe servtom, of an inlet pipe therefor, said pipe also ing as a support for the bottom 0 the tank bottom of the I and as a settling basin, a'supply pipe entersupply pipe entering said inlet I mg the bottom of said inlet pipe and-extendbottom thereof and extending I ing partially up into the same, and a blow-off I valve arranged in the bottom of said inlet Plpe 13. The combination with a water tank,

of an inlet pipe therefor, said pi e servin as also serving as a support for the bottom of I a support for the bottom of sa1 tank an as said tank, and a blow-off valvearranged in a settling basin, supply pipeentering said the bottom of said pipe. 4 inlet pipe, a blow-off valve arranged in the 7 The combination wlth a water tank, I bottom of said inlet pipe, and means for operpavingf a surblstcantiallg hem-illippoid fi b ot tatnig said blow-off valve from the top of said om 0 an 1 e pipe or s a1 an sai pipe an servingas a support for the bottbm of the 14. Thecombination with a water tank, tank, a supply pipe entering the bottom of of an inlet pipe therefor, said pipe serving as said inlet pipe, and ezctending lpartially up a support for the bottom ofsaid tank and as into the same, and a blow-oil va ve arranged asettling basin, 2. supply pipe entering said in the bottom of said inlet pipe. I I inlet pipe, a blow-off yalve arranged in the 8. The comblnation with a water tank, bottom of sald inlet pipe,'means for operathaving a substantially hemi-ellipsoidal boting said blow-off valve from the top of said tank, a discharge pipe entering said inlet pipe at a point near the top thereof, a valve for maintaining said discharge pipe normally closed, and means for from the outside of said tank.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two wittank, and a pipe at the partially up into said pipe.

6. The combination with a water tank,

pipe for said tank, said pipe ing as a supportfor the bottom of said tank, a supply pipe entering said inlet pipe, a blowoff valve arranged in the bottom of said inlet i pipe, and ,means for operating said blow-off 9 The combinationwith a water tank,

having a substantiall hemi-ellipsoidal bot- I nesses.

tom, of an inlet pipe or said tank, said pi e GEORGE T. HORTON. serving as a support for the bottom of said Witnesses: tank, and a discharge pipe leading from the K. I. SMALL,

top of said inlet pipe. V. J. PEIROE.

pipe also i with a Water tank,

operating said valve 

